TCN News
On 18th April when 2nd phase polling was held in some states of India, one voter named Mariam Tahoora from Yelahanka constituency, Bengaluru found that her name was not there in the voters’ list. At the polling booth, she was told to ask the polling agents.
The polling agents outside the booth looked for her name on the electoral website of the Government and did not find it there. When she insisted, they saw the printed list they had with them and found that her name was struck off. And after checking the deleted list they found her name in the deleted list of voters.
Mariam was both shocked as well as disappointed that she won’t be able to vote this time. For her and her entire family voting is a responsibility they have religiously fulfilled.
A well-wisher guided her to a retired IAS Officer, who told her about the election handbook which the presiding officers wherein it is mentioned that with sufficient proof of existence, a deleted name can be allowed to vote.
Back at the polling booth, the presiding officer was a cooperative lady who checked the guidelines in the handbook. But she didn’t find the relevant section mentioned by the IAS officer. So she called up a senior colleague and got the right section and also details about the required documents to be produced by the voter.
So Mariyam showed her original Aadhar card and submitted a Xerox and then was allowed to vote.
“Initially there was a doubt whether my vote would be counted as disputed one. But thankfully it was not. It was a normal vote” she shared with TwoCircles.net.
A mechanical engineer by profession, Mariam Tahoora on the same day shared her experience for the benefit of other voters.
“I shared my experience on social media and to all people who want to know about the incident, because I think it will be of help to others who have yet to cast their vote and if by chance they find their names deleted, they can also do the same. We can still vote if our names are in the deleted list.”
“And I feel bad for people whose names are not even in the deleted list and they cannot vote despite having an EPIC (Electoral Photo Identity Card)” she added
TwoCircles.net also spoke to Khalid Saifullah who has developed an App for missing voters called ‘ Missing voters app’ to learn what exactly is the process to vote if your name has been deleted from the electoral roll.
Section 18 of the Presiding roll book talks about this provision.
- Ask the presiding officer to check the name if it is in the ASD(Absent, shifted, deleted) list. It is their duty to do so
- And if your name is in the ASD list, then you have to prove that you are still residing in the same constituency and have not shifted.
- Submit a document of age proof with photo Identity such as Aadhar, PAN, in Xerox and show the original for cross verification.
- Then you can cast your vote as a regular voter
When a person whose name has been found in the ASD list casts his/ her vote at the polling officer has to enter the name and address of the voter to include him/ her among the persons who have cast their vote on that day.
“The names of so many voters have been deleted. It is perhaps unintentionally done by the EC. But I feel it is all because the Election commission is not strong enough and miscreants can easily misuse and take advantage of the loopholes” explained Khalid Saifullah.
“But if your name is not mentioned in the deleted list then you cannot do anything. You will have re-apply” he said. “It is not possible that all deleted names will be in the ASD list. But at least half of the names will be found in the deleted list. And you can vote only if your name is deleted and mentioned in the deleted list. “ he further explained
As many as 68,000 people across India have applied for voter ids through the ‘Missing Voters App.
